Wolfgang Haber developed the “concept of differentiated land use” (DLN) back in the 1970s as a rule of thumb for sustainable, biodiversity-appropriate land use and has continued to introduce it into politics, science and practice to this day. This article examines the role of landscape structure and a diverse landscape for people and nature and asks what significance Haber’s concept has today and in the future.

It is shown that a diverse, multifunctional landscape is crucial to the solution, especially in times of the “land use trilemma” (WBGU) between the food crisis, climate change and the biodiversity crisis. The DLN concept is therefore highly topical and should continue to be taken up and implemented. However, there is a lack of information on the condition of landscapes in Germany. A corresponding monitoring system should therefore be established.